Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day just gets better and better every year with our two sweeties to enjoy it with!  This year we gave the kids a couple little gifts to play with (mini etch a sketch for Audrey, DVD and bubbles for Parker) and Parker received lots of different valentines from school.  His favorite?  A valentine with a whoopee cushion attached.  He's a four year old boy--what can I say?  haha!

Talking to the "quirrels" outside.

Parker's teacher gave them each a baby dinosaur on their valentine, so he decided to get the "momma" dinosaur out to play with her baby.

We took these pictures outside during a bubble blowing session.  They enjoyed chasing and popping the bubbles!

Superbowl Sunday

The title is slightly misleading since we really didn't do anything related to the Superbowl today.  Today should have been a church day, but I had to skip for what we'll call "health reasons".  The kids and I still had breakfast at Mona and Granddaddy's, but we came home afterward.  When Ryan came home, we had lunch and then the kids took naps.  I may have caught a little shut-eye myself.  I was having some stomach pains and just felt like I needed to rest.  I even skipped my workout today for the first time in a few weeks.  When everyone woke up, we all played in the den for a bit while Ryan set up our new Apple TV.  The kids' new game is "Ring Around the Rosy." 

Obviously it's pretty difficult to get a "still" picture of such an active game.  haha!

Audrey was watching her Daddy pretty closely.  Can you see her mop hair?  It's almost long enough to be tucked behind her ear but not quite.  I put a bow or hair tie in it almost immediately when she wakes up so she can see, but I totally forgot after her nap!





Here's Jake--I mean, Parker--playing with his "mote control" car.  Probably driving it into his sister. :)

We went to Omi's this evening and had delicious goulash.  Ryan started to watch the Superbowl there and was supposed to continue once we got here but the Fox Sports app wasn't working correctly with Apple TV and I couldn't even get it to stream on the computer, so we switched to Blacklist.  Ah, the perils of having no cable. 

These daily posts are going to be CRAZY interesting--so be prepared!  

January

Back at it again--here with a summary of the pictures I have from my big camera.  I am SO MAD AT MYSELF--truly.  I know I've said it before but I am definitely going to say it again right now:  I HAVE to get better at this.  Seriously.  It shouldn't be that difficult to sit down with a few pictures from each day--even if I have almost nothing to share.  I want to remember everything that's happening right now, little and big.  Major and minor.  Have to improve--just have to. 

So on the 21st it snowed overnight and we woke up to the first big snow of the season and year.  It was only a couple of inches but was enough to close schools and cause us to all have to adjust our schedules and spend a little extra time outside!  This was the first time I pulled out the big camera since Christmas.  So much shame. 

Audrey still went to Honey's house that day but I decided to take a quick picture of her outside in her first-ever snow.  Of course baby was there to celebrate, too!

  

These capture her true first impression of the snow.  She wasn't a true fan but actually grew to like it!

All in a matter of about four minutes.  haha!

Later in the day, we finally ventured out with Parker for a little bit.  Once he found out about the ice at the end of the driveway, he really didn't care too much about the snow.  All he wanted to do was walk on, stomp through, and kick the ice.  

I'm pretty sure these tears were a result of me placing him in the snow.  He didn't want to get snow on his shoes I think.  Toddler moments!

That Friday, we had Leah over for a bit in the morning so Lulu could go to an appointment.  It was fun having another baby around and Parker and Audrey were SO excited.  Leah loved watching Parker and was doing a lot of "talking" with him. 

Cousins!  Audrey really was happy that day...not sure why she wasn't smiling in the picture.  I was just impressed that I had three sets of eyes looking my way! 

 

Parker did a great job entertaining her :)

 

Trying to get her to "play" with the "tranpomup."

They just love her.

 

How could they not?

This past Tuesday night, it snowed 9 inches, so everything was shut down again on Wednesday and also Thursday.  I didn't take a ton of pics this time, but I did demand that Ryan take one with our snowman friend that I built.  I was SO excited on Friday when the snow was finally wet enough to build a snowman.  Parker was excited about it beforehand but was no longer interested once we got outside.  The ice won again!

Love love love these two babies so much.  Also, Frosty had some pretty rad hair. 

Christmas 2013

As in.....kind of a summary of the whole Christmas season of 2013--haha.

So to start off with, we decorated our living room tree two days after Thanksgiving.  Parker and Audrey both "helped".  I use that term VERY loosely because they definitely needed plenty of direction and I believe five ornaments were broken in one night.  It was very sweet to watch them, though.  Of course, I couldn't get Parker to stand still for any but was able to watch this girl from afar.

Oops!  Haha.  There were so many I heard, "Momma....Audrey broke another ornament!"

This is the only decent picture I got from the day we bought our real tree, which was the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  Parker was too busy running around like a madman--he was so excited.



This was at breakfast with Santa at church.  Parker, Audrey and sweet baby Leah.  Can't wait for these three to experience more and more holidays and fun times together!

Here is this year's official picture with "Sema."  My, my how the tables have turned from last year--haha!

On Christmas Eve, we went to dinner at Omi's.  This year, the kids and I didn't make it to church because the timing just didn't work.  I was going to take them to the 7:30 service but they were both so tired that it didn't make sense.

Playing with sister's hair.

My boys.

Truly the best we could get.  It's always tough!

When I got home with the kids, we threw out reindeer food and I got them to bed so I could finish wrapping gifts and cleaning up.

These two in their matching jammies right before bed on Christmas Eve......I just love it.

Parker was VERY excited to wake up on Christmas day and see what Santa brought.  This year, Santa brought Parker his first bike, the Octopod from Octonauts ("Octonauts' ship" as Parker called it), and Captain Hook's treasure chest.  He brought Audrey a Little People bus, a helmet, and a baby stroller and high chair.  He also brought a "together" gift for both of them that is a Little People Christmas house with Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as all of the little things in their stockings.  We got Parker Jake's ship and Audrey a Little People dollhouse.

Parker wanted to play with EVERYTHING , including all of Audrey's toys, and all Audrey wanted to play with was the stroller and high chair.  She didn't care about opening anything past those two!

Here are some snapshots from the morning:

Woohooooooooo!  Jake's ship! :)

Toy Story socks--he was excited.

Santa Claus left half of a peanut butter ball--Audrey was all about that.

Feeding baby in her new high chair.

My parents, grandparents and sister all came over for breakfast as they do each year and we opened gifts together.  It all makes for a very exciting and fun morning for everyone!

All the girls.....well, except for me, of course.

Parker wanted to help everyone open their gifts.  He's definitely a pro!

Apparently Dad was pretty excited about his gift!  haha!

After breakfast was finished at our house, we headed over to the Jeffersons house to spend the rest of the day with them.  We opened gifts, had lunch, and the children did NOT take naps.  We had a great day!  I never pulled out the camera because my dear Lacy had hers out and was taking so many pictures.  Also, my eye swelled and swelled throughout the day and became increasingly irritated.  I found out the next day that it was, in fact, pink eye.  

A few additional facts from this year:

• Throughout the holiday season, we listened to Christmas music all.the.time.  I had no problem with this because I love it, and the kids learned some new songs.  Every time we would walk in the house, Parker wanted to turn on Christmas music.  It was the same in the car!  Parker sang pretty much any song that came on because he heard them so much.
• Every time "Frosty the Snowman" came on, Parker would say "it's my song!"  I thought this was so funny, like he was saying, "oh--that's my jam!"  
• Both kids really liked the instrumental version of "Sleigh Ride"--particularly the part toward the end with the trombones and the very, very end where the "horsie" (as Audrey calls it) says "neiiiiiiiiiiigh!"  
• They also both liked the part of "Do They Know It's Christmas" where they sing, "Feed the woooooooorld...let them know it's Christmas time".  Both kids would walk around singing, "Feed the wooooooooorld", and then Parker would sing the second part. 
• Audrey would say, "Santa Claus comin'" and when I'd ask her what he was bringing, she'd say, "teeoys."
• Both kids loved the new Mickey inflatable we put in the yard.  They loved him when he was deflated, when he was inflatING, and when he was inflated.  Parker got upset when he would fall down in the rain or wind.  They were always concerned with Mickey!

I'm sure I'm forgetting something that I'll wish I had put in here later, but I wanted to put at least these things down to remember.  Christmas is such a special time--I am sad it's over and am already looking forward to next year.